1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices for attracting horned mammals and particularly to such devices for attracting deer and elk through the imitation of the sound of clashing antlers.
2. Brief Description of the Background Art
Hunters have known for some time that when deer or elk are in the mating season, bucks take part in a ritual wherein they butt or clash their antlers together. As a result of this ritual, sounds are created which attract other deer or elk, including both bucks and does, to the scene.
Hunters have attempted to take advantage of this phenomena by using antlers from previous prizes to simulate the sound of this ritual. The common practice is to cut the horns from the prize, and to clean and sand the horns. The horns are then raked and clashed with one another in order to produce a sound which imitates bucks fighting in the mating ritual. Hunters have had considerable success with these techniques.
Deer or elk antlers have certain disadvantages when used by man to attract animals. The antlers tend to lose their "live" sound over time. To overcome this, hunters treat or tune the antlers in an attempt to regain the original sound. Such efforts may involve soaking the antlers in water every two or three days or treating the antlers with linseed oil to keep them from becoming chalky. In addition, the severed antlers do not exhibit stability during varying weather conditions and may produce ineffective sounds depending on the weather. In addition to these deficiences, the availability of the larger sized antlers which are believed to be most suitable for attracting deer or elk, is limited and even those who have such antlers may hesitate to destroy their aesthetic value.